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Telecare: Helping Churches with Community Care
Church Leaders - Here are some ways that Telecare is here to serve you and your church:
- Serving Hurting People: You may refer anyone to our call line for emotional and spiritual support. Our trained empathetic volunteers help you shoulder the load of community care. The support line number is: 604-852-9099. You may place this number in your bulletin or newsletter if you wish.
- Offering Resources for Pastors and Leaders: Our website has thoughtful posts on community care, and we offer a half-day active listening online workshop Listen Up!
- Speaking in Your Church: We are prepared to provide short (5-10 minute) talks, preach (25-30 minutes), or bring Listen Up!(3-6 hour versions) to your door. We can also send a 30-60 second info video to show your people. If interested, please contact me (Bill).
- Providing a Place to Serve: We welcome people from your church to join us in serving others. Retirees make especially good volunteers, yet we need younger and middle-aged listeners as well. Everyone receives training about listening and mental health in order to empathize with callers. Volunteers may work behind the scene too if they find a better fit there.
If you have additional ideas as to how we might assist you in ministry, or would like to follow up on anything noted above, please contact us here on our website.
Thank you for your time to read this. We hope you might discuss it with your pastoral team. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Bill Strom, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Need Someone to Listen?
Remember, you're not alone on this journey. If you're seeking a compassionate ear and a heart that understands, we encourage you to call us. Support is just a phone call away. See below for information how to connect with us.
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For Crisis or Emotional Support Call:
- 604-852-9099 in Abbotsford and Mission
- 1-888-852-9099 toll free throughout British Columbia
- If you are in a life threatening crisis, please call 911
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The first time Samuel* called he was upbeat and positive. He shared with us that life was good in the big city. He lived on his own in his newly-renovated apartment, and drove one of the nicest cars in his complex. Samuel shared that he kept fit and wondered at times if he was the envy of other elderly men—and women—around him.
Robert* began calling Telecare in 2020 during the pandemic. We learned that he had been living on his own already due to a messy divorce from his wife and being “written off” by two daughters. Robert shared that he misses his family immensely and wants to reconcile with them. We affirmed that reconciliation is a worthy goal while not always possible.
Ned* began calling Telecare six years ago in the wake of a bad fall he took at work that left him unable to work without experiencing severe back pain. Efforts to learn new skills have been complicated by his health condition and general aptitudes.
Kerri began calling Telecare in her 50s when life’s struggles were too much to carry alone. She shared about being raised in a family where her father was an alcoholic and her mother schizophrenic.
Cindy* calls us on a semi-regular basis and has done so for many years. When she first began to call Telecare she was married and dealing with various challenges, including having been arrested for shoplifting and for using drugs.
One day Louisa told me that she felt like she was nobody’s priority, nobody’s first choice. It hit me that her biggest problem was not unemployment or even the loss she had experienced, but more the crushing belief that she did not matter.
On any given day, millions of people from all walks of life around the world reach out to someone for help. Whether it's due to mental health concerns, stressful life events like the loss of a loved one, substance use disorder challenges or something else entirely—seeking assistance is both brave and necessary.
When someone calls our Telecare Crisis and Caring Line, they often have nowhere else to turn. For some, life has become overwhelmingly difficult and lonesome.
Contact Info
Emergencies: 911
Supportive Listening: 604-852-9099
Supportive Listening (Toll Free): 1-888-852-9099
Admin. 604-852-4058
Email: admin@telecarebc.com